September 2022

The Wakefield Fire Department responded to 358 emergency incidents during the month of September 2022 including 31 box alarms and 327 still alarms. The department responded to three requests for mutual aid during September, twice to Stoneham and once to Reading. The department received mutual aid four times during the month of September, twice from Stoneham and once each from Melrose and Reading. A crew from Engine 1 under Lieutenant Steve Bivens covered a vacant Reading fire station while that department was tied up at several calls during the early afternoon of September 22. A crew from Engine 2 led by Lieutenant Michael Long covered Stoneham Fire Headquarters while that department dealt with a bomb scare during the morning of September 27.

Firefighters under the command of Captain Brian Purcell responded to the Northeast Regional Vocational school on Hemlock Road at approximately noon on September 30 after school officials reported an odor of natural gas inside the building. Responding firefighters spoke with school officials and pinpointed the area that the odor was coming from as the east side of the school on the basement level. Further investigation determined the source of the odor to be exhaust fumes from a delivery truck left running at a nearby loading dock for the school. The exhaust fumes from the running truck entered an HVAC air intake for the school causing the fumes to spread throughout the area where the school officials reported the inside odor. The truck was shut off and the affected area thoroughly ventilated. Students feeling sick quickly recovered after spending some time outside in fresh air. No students required any further medical attention. School officials will add signage in the area of the loading dock advising truck drivers to shut down their vehicles during deliveries.

A contingent of Wakefield Firefighters went to a ceremony at the State Fallen Firefighters monument located on the grounds of the Massachusetts State House on September 11. Each year a number of bricks are dedicated and added to the walkways around this monument to acknowledge members of the fire service who have lost their lives in the line of duty. This year a brick was dedicated and installed on the walkway in honor of Wakefield Fire Lieutenant Robert Ford, who died in the line-of-duty on October 24, 2021 as a result of occupational cancer. All groups attended medical classes as part of their Emergency Medical Technician certificates. Department members continued their annual in-service business inspections of commercial properties. Training on vehicle extrication techniques was also conducted by several groups during September at Howe’s tow yard on North Avenue.

All fire department vehicles were inspected and received their Registry of Motor Vehicles Inspection stickers during September. All public and private elementary and secondary schools received fire drills during the month of September. Several groups conducted familiarization tours of residential buildings located at 11 Lake Street, 248 Albion Street and 5 to 7 Ballister Street. All duty groups received instruction on a new department standard operating procedure regarding the reduction of cancer risk from contaminated protective gear and equipment soiled by fire incidents. The new procedure outlined proper practices for isolating and decontaminating soiled turnout gear containing known carcinogens after being exposed to fire conditions. All department fire apparatus has been equipped with materials that allow for bagging contaminated gear and washing soiled truck surfaces. These procedures are intended to minimize the risk to firefighters of secondary exposure to carcinogens and thus minimize their chances of contracting occupational cancer in the future.

Incident Response Report

Fire Prevention Report